Mission San Diego de Alcalá is a Christian religious center that was established by Spanish Roman Catholic priests in California. Between 1769 and 1823, Spanish priests started 21 missions as centers for teaching the Indians of California about Christianity. The Franciscan missionary Saint Junípero Serra founded the mission on July 16, 1769, overlooking San Diego Bay. The mission—named for Saint Didacus of Alcalá, Spain—was the first church in California.
In 1774, Mission San Diego moved to a nearby site closer to fresh water and to Indian villages. On Nov. 4, 1775, local Kumeyaay Indians attacked the new mission, burning it to the ground. Luís Jayme, a priest at the mission, was killed in the attack and became known as California’s first Christian martyr.
Missionaries rebuilt Mission San Diego and became more successful in their relations with the native population. They grew grain, vegetables, and grapes for wine on the mission lands. The mission also kept thousands of cattle, horses, and sheep.
In 1833 and 1834, the Mexican government seized and redistributed properties that belonged to the missions, and Mission San Diego was abandoned. During much of the 1850’s, the United States Army occupied the mission. From 1892 to 1909, the mission served as an Indian children’s school.
Mission San Diego was restored in 1931. In 1976, Pope Paul VI designated the church a minor basilica. A minor basilica is a place of worship recognized for its religious, historical, and cultural significance. Today, Mission San Diego is an active Roman Catholic parish.
